November 27, 1862 - Government geologist reports gold findings

SOURCE: OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 293, 27 NOVEMBER 1862, PAGE 6

From the Cardrona River I crossed over the summit of the Crown Mountain and descended to the valley of the Wakatip Lake. On reaching a hut belonging to Mr Rees’s Station, I found that the men I was in search of were engaged in mining within a distance of 2 miles, upon the Arrow River, which is a small tributary to the Kawarau from the North, and joining about 12 miles below where it leaves the Wakatip Lake. On proceeding there, I found about 40 miners, among whom was the Fox, in quiet possession of a most secluded valley, of a very limited extent. They made no secret that they were doing exceedingly well, but of course it was impossible to get precise information as to the quantity of gold which had been obtained. The Gully was first prospected and its rich treasures discovered about the 13th of October last, almost simultaneously by two independent prospectors, M’Gregor and Fox. With their companions, numbering in all fourteen, they had worked quietly for about three weeks, until they were discovered by one miner after another, and their numbers increased to that mentioned above. The portion of the gully as yet worked is about ½ mile in length, and contains five (5) flat points of very limited extent. For eight miles above this I was informed there can be no workings, as the stream is closely hemmed by perpendicular rocks, and this agrees with what I myself observed. Higher up it is said to widen out in flats, round which there are many land slips. The gold obtained in this gully is all coarse and water-worn, the largest they got I was told weighed 2 ½ ozs, but ½ oz and 1 oz nuggets are frequent. Some of the late comers to the gully stated they were making at the rate of 3 ozs a man per day, but this must fall far short of what some of the first arrivals obtained.

From the best estimate I could make, I believe I am understating the amount of gold which has been obtained in this small gully at 1,600 ozs. Of itself this gully is quite inadequate to give employment to a large number of miners, as a very few more than those already working there would completely occupy every portion of available ground.

In the course of a few days and before I left the district, the number had already been augmented to 150, by miners from the Nevis and Cardrona. The gully is upon Mr Rees’ Run, and 12 miles to NW of his home station.

Owing to the manner in which the country is hemmed in by high mountainous ranges, goods must at present be drayed to the lower end of the Wakatip Lake, and thence conveyed by boat to the exit of the Kawarau River. They could, however, be drayed up to within 16 miles of the spot up the valley of the Cardrona, and thence packed across the Crown Range. Perhaps eventually a road may be carried to the head of the Cardrona, through the low saddle previously mentioned, thence round the point of the Crown Range and along the side of the Kowara Valley. As far as I could judge from a distant inspection, there would be no great obstacle in accomplishing this, except in descending to the Arrow River, which is bounded on the east by the ” Crown Terrace,” an abrupt rocky scarp 800 feet in height. Between the Arrow River and the Lake, the Kawarau receives a much larger tributary from the North named the Shotover, a large and treacherous stream that can only be crossed in one or two places at known fords. It is, moreover, bounded by high shingle terraces which would present an additional obstacle to draying between the Lake and the place where the diggings are situated. At the point where the Kawarau leaves the Wakatip Lake, a rocky rapid completely prevents boats passing from one to the other. The banks, however, are low, and easily approached on both sides, Sand from this point to the north of the Shotover the river is wide and sluggish. At the junction of the two streams there is again a slight rapid, but without rocks in the channel, below which is the mouth of the Arrow River the current is is wift but even-flowing, and from there to its point of emergence on the Upper Clutha Plains, about eight miles above its junction with the Molyneux, the ‘Kawarau is said to be unnavigable, as it traverses a rocky chasm similar to the Dunstan Gorge, and passes beneath the natural bridge which has been long known of from the report of the Maories. Fox informed me that he brought a horse along the south side of the Kawarau River from the junction to the lake, and that there is only one bad place near the Nevis Stream, and there he had cut a track.

If any large rush takes place to this new locality, great privation will be experienced, as there are no provisions to be had of any kind, the few miners that were already there having quite exhausted Mr. Rees’s stores. His goods are obtained from Invercargill, and drayed up to the south end of the lake, but most unfortunately his large boat of 30 tons burthen, which is the only one fit for bringing them further, is at present on the stocks undergoing repairs, and will not be ready for at least a week or two.

If miners do rush there in large numbers, I have no doubt that at first there will be great disappointment, as the known ground is only of very limited extent, and, under the excitement of a rush, diggers are too impatient to prospect much.

Full article: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18621127.2.20